


Hold me tight

by starblossoms59



Category: TsukiPro the Animation
Genre: Based on Ivesta 2 (Tsukihana Kagura), M/M, Mentions of blood and violence, The other SOARA boys are only mentioned, nothing explicit though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25823920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starblossoms59/pseuds/starblossoms59
Summary: “Ren..?”Ren pushed the door shut behind him. “…I’m sorry.”Even in the low lighting, Nozomu could see that Ren’s hands were shaking.
Relationships: Munakata Ren/Nanase Nozomu
Kudos: 11





	Hold me tight

**Author's Note:**

> I've spent a little too much time staying up thinking about Ivesta 2 ~~and this one moment that I was only able to catch in the standcam~~.
> 
> There aren't really any explicit spoilers per say. Just know that this is intended to take place after the first battle scene.

Nozomu stared up at the ceiling, hands raised in the air, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering in through the nearby window.

_Spotless, minus some scratches and the like._

But whenever he closed his eyes, he could see the ash and soot and dirt covering his palms, the remnants of gun powder caking his fingernails, and the streaks of blood splattered across his fingers.

_Then again, that's what they looked like out there on the battlefield._ He lowered his hands and let out a loud sigh. _Because we're not at home or at school anymore, we're here at base, trying to—_

"…Nozomu?"

Nozomu lifted his head at the sound of his name. "Ren..?"

Ren pushed the door shut behind him. "…I'm sorry."

Even in the low lighting, Nozomu could see that Ren's hands were shaking.

"Ren, come here." Nozomu sat up and patted the blanket. Ren quietly shuffled over and took a seat beside him. "You couldn't sleep, huh?"

"How can I?" Ren whispered. "After…"

"Ren…" Nozomu's hands rose to cup Ren's cheeks, thumbs gently brushing tears from his face. "Ren, don't cry. It's okay."

"Nozomu…" Tears continued to spill from Ren's eyes as he broke down into a round of soft sobs. "I don't like it, Nozomu. I know we have to do it, but…"

"I know, Ren." Nozomu nodded. "I don't like it either."

"It hurts…" Ren's lip quivered. "All those people I had to cut down…all those civilians I could have saved…how many more I could have protected if only…"

"Ren. Ren, no, don't think like that." Nozomu gently squeezed Ren's cheeks. "I know. I know it hurts. We lost a lot of good people today. But Ren did all that he could. We did all that we could. We gave it our best effort. And we'll just have to keep giving it our all so those evil guys can't take any more good people away from us."

"Nozomu…" Ren's eyes wavered. "I know that, but…I'm worried." His voice shook. "The enemy just feels like they're only going to get stronger and stronger, and I…I don't want to lose Sou-nii, Sora-senpai, Morihito-senpai…" He choked back a sob. "I don't want to lose you either."

"Ren…"

Nozomu felt his fingers wrap around Ren's hands, squeezing them tight as Ren continued to cry. Ren's hands felt cold, he noted, and delicate. As though they would shatter like glass if he squeezed too tight. These were the hands that he had long since become acquainted with, ones that were fit for holding textbooks and flowers—gentle hands that appeared weak, but held a strong sense of duty and compassion.

But Nozomu could feel the bandage wrapped around Ren's right hand and the scars stretched across on his left. He could feel the callus on the boy's palms, likely sore and blistering and aching beyond belief even now. And when he blinked, he could see the blood that continued to stain those beautiful hands with endless carnage and sorrow.

_These are no longer the same hands I so adored back at home._

It was almost hard to believe that merely weeks ago, they had been back in their hometown, happily walking together after lessons concluded for the day, smiling carefreely as they so desired. That merely a handful of days ago, Ren had divulged that he was taking _shamisen_ lessons from Sora and he wanted that to be their own little secret, "so Nozomu, you can't tell anyone, especially Sou-nii!"

But now, they were on the frontlines of war.

"Nozomu, I'm scared…"

"…I'm scared too, Ren."

Nozomu closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Ren's body, holding Ren so close that he could feel the other's heart beating in time with his own. A steady pulse, a steady rhythm—a sign that Ren was alive, that he was still here with him. That he hadn't been slain by the enemy, that he hadn't been downed in the middle of the field, that Nozomu's shot hadn't gone off the marker and instead pierced through—

Nozomu tightened his grip. "I don't want to lose you or anyone else."

"Nozomu…"

"But I know we won't go down that easily," he murmured. "Our senpais are all super strong! And Ren's amazing as well." He leaned back so he was face to face with Ren, eyes filled with raw conviction. "We won't lose. I promise."

A new wave of tears streamed down Ren's cheeks.

"Nozomu…" He nodded. "You're right…"

"That's the spirit!" Nozomu leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Ren's forehead. "Come on, Ren. Let's rest so that we'll be ready for whatever they throw at us."

Ren's fingers curled around Nozomu's arms in response. Wordlessly, Nozomu gently pulled him down onto the bed. Ren instantly buried his face in Nozomu's chest, prompting Nozomu to wrap his arms around Ren's torso and rest his chin atop Ren's head.

"Nozomu."

Nozomu hummed. Ren closed his eyes.

"I love you."

The soft breathing that followed indicated to Nozomu that Ren had fallen asleep. With a somber smile, Nozomu closed his eyes and pressed a kiss to the top of Ren's head.

"I love you too," he whispered, his voice falling upon deaf ears.

And soon, he too fell into a gentle slumber.


End file.
